Tallchief was proud of her Osage heritage. | Source
Native American Ballet Dancer
Maria Tallchief broke barriers as the first Native American woman (Osage) in ballet. She broke down ethnic barriers as one of the first Americans to flourish in her field. The New York Times called her one of America’s most brilliant ballerinas of the 20th century.
In her book, “Maria Tallchief: America’s Prima Ballerina,” she also explained how the Osage headrights affected her father. She said it felt as if her father owned property everywhere in Fairfax—the pool hall and local movie theater. Her family lived in a 10-room brick house on a hill overlooking the Osage reservation. They spent the summer in Colorado Springs because of the sweltering heat in Oklahoma. Tallchief also wrote in her book about the Osage Reign of Terror, “villainous white” who married Osage women and killed them to inherit their headrights.
On January 24, 1925, Maria Tallchief was born in Fairfax, Oklahoma, on the Osage Indian Reservation, during the Osage Reign of Terror described in Killers of the Flower Moon, directed by Martin Scorsese, and in the book of the same name by David Grann.
The true story Killers of the Flower Moon recounts the murder of over twenty Osage Indians from 1921 to 1926 because of their oil mineral rights. The tribal law made each member wealthy by granting them headrights, a share of the mineral trust. Because the government deemed the Osage unfit to manage their wealth, it appointed guardians to supervise their headrights.
Tallchief’s grandfather, Peter Bigheart, helped negotiate the agreement that founded the reservation and maintained the tribe’s mineral rights. When the Osage Indians discovered oil on the reservation, they became the wealthiest Native American tribe in the USA.
Maria’s father, an Osage Indian, Alexander Joseph Tall Chief, was a wealthy real estate executive. Her mother, Ruth Mary Porter Tall Chief, was of Scottish and Irish descent. Marie Tallchief wrote in her autobiography that her father never worked “a day in his life” because of the headrights.
Tallchief Early Years
Tallchief spent her childhood in Los Angeles, California, honing her ballet skills through years of training. Her mother had her start formal ballet lessons in Fairfax, Oklahoma, before she was four.
At eight, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. The purpose was to establish advanced ballet training for Maria and her sister, Marjorie. Their mother wanted them to work in Hollywood musicals.
Wore Ballet Flats Most of Her Life
Ballet Career Started on the Osage Reservation
Maria’s mother encouraged her and her sister, Marjorie, to take ballet and piano lessons during their toddler years. They performed at Osage civic organizations.
Moved to California
At age eight, Marie’s family moved to Beverly Hills, California, where she continued to study ballet and piano. Marie studied under prominent Russian ballerinas, Madame Nijinska and Anna Pavlova, by age twelve.
Because Tallchief was a Native American, members of the ballet community were skeptical. However, choreographer George Balanchine recognized her talent. He nurtured her into a prima ballerina.
Marie and Marjorie became professional ballet dancers and leading figures in America. In their retirement years, they founded Lyric Opera’s Ballet School in 1974, teaching the Balanchine method. Tallchief’s ballerina career took her around the world, resulting in a professional and personal relationship with George Balanchine.
Tallchief Moved to New York City
At 17, Marie moved to New York City to establish herself in a major ballet company. Here, she made her official name, Marie Tallchief.
For the next five years, she danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and met her first husband, choreographer George Balanchine. He co-founded the New York City Ballet in 1946, and Marie became its first prima ballerina.
Tallchief’s early career in the 1940s included dancing with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. | Source
Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Ernest Burkhard in an unlikely love story, and Lily Gladstone portrays Mollie Kyle. Oil transformed the Osage Nation into one of the wealthiest populations in the world at the start of the 20th century. I found the film informative, with an authentic Scorsese flair. There is a scene in which Robert De Niro’s character, William K. Hale, stands with a group of ballerinas and their teacher. I am sure it’s paying homage to Maria Tallchief’s legacy. Today, it’s a legacy celebrated on the reservation with statues of Tallchief.
Tallchief’s passion for ballet and Balanchine’s challenging choreography made the art form more popular. But some argue that Tallchief, as the Firebird in Stravinsky’s The Firebird, in the first year brought accolades to the New York Ballet. Playing the Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker catapulted the Christmas ballet from obscurity to popularity in America.
Balanchine elevated Tallchief’s career as a prima ballerina, soloing her in his first ballet with the Russe de Monte Carlo called Song of Norway and as Alexandra Danilova’s understudy. Balanchine repeatedly cast Tallchief in significant roles in classical ballet. Eventually, she became the second lead when Ballet Imperial opened.
Balanchine and Tallchief grew fond of each other, and he told The Washington Post she was his “crucial artistic inspiration.” Their working relationship crossed into a personal relationship, and they married in 1946.
During their professional career, Balanchine influenced Tallchief’s ballet style by encouraging her to start over with the fundamentals of the craft. She lost weight and elongated her neck and legs as she learned to hold her chest high. Danilova taught Tallchief extensively, transforming her into a featured soloist.
Tallchief created the role of Coquette and Night Shadow and was the first ballerina to perform it. The most challenging role in the ballet was another milestone in her illustrious career.
Her career blossomed with a stint with the Paris Opera Ballet, becoming the first American to perform with the company. The French audiences loved her.
Tallchief revolutionized ballet under the guidance of George Balanchine. | Source
New York City Ballet
Returning to New York in 1948, Balanchine co-founded the New York City Ballet, giving Tallchief the first prima ballerina role. During this time, Balanchine revolutionized ballet, creating dances that demanded athleticism, aggressive dancing and speed. Tallchief complied with all his choreography. To the point, the New York Times critic wrote she did everything except spin on her head.
Tallchief’s popularity and talent helped boost the fledgling ballet company, dancing eight times a week. She received critical success, and the audience praised her dancing as the Sugarplum Fairy in the annual Christmas classic, The Nutcracker.
Other dancing roles under Balanchine’s choreography included Swan Queen in Swan Lake and Eurydice in Orpheus. Tallchief created different lead roles in Jones Breach, Prodigal Son and A La Francaix. She also danced in Balanchine ballets with no storyline, interpreting music with theatrical elements. Balanchine was masterful at creating images or expressing and provoking emotion. Tallchief’s fiery dancing and athletic performances solidified Balanchine’s era as the most prominent choreographer.
Tallchief’s Marriages
Balanchine and Tallchief’s marriage was annulled in 1952. Shortly after, Tallchief married Elmourza Natirboff, a pilot. They divorced two years later, and she married Henry D. (Buzz) Paschen Jr in 1955. They had a daughter, Elise Maria Paschen, an award-winning poet. They remained married until he died in 2004.
Tallchief’s Illustrious Career
Tallchief continued establishing firsts, such as the American Ballet Theatre’s first guest dancer and prima ballerina. She was also the first American to dance at the Bolshoi Theatre in Russia. She was Rudolf Nureyev’s chosen partner for his American television debut.
Her Oklahoma people honored her with an array of statues and an official day of recognition. The National Women’s Hall of Fame inducted her, and she received a National Medal of Arts from the United States Congress. She also received a Kennedy Center Honor for her lifetime achievements.
In 2012, Tallchief broke her hip and passed away on April 11, 2013, because of complications from her injury.
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) – IMDb Killers of the Flower Moon: Directed by Martin Scorsese. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, and Jesse Plemons.
John Frankenheimer relaxing between camera setups on the set of the Turner Film Production “Andersonville.” | Source
Frankenheimer Came to Northern California
A friend of mine, Kevin, got a job working with one of the industry’s most talented directors: the late John Frankenheimer (Birdman of Alcatraz, The Manchurian Candidate, Grand Prix, Wallace, and Ronin).
Frankenheimer came to Northern California to do location work for one of his last films, HBO’s Path to War, starring one of the Baldwin boys – Alec. I highly recommend this movie.
Donald Sutherland also stars in the cable movie. According to IMDb, the Path of War is based on a true story set in the mid-1960s: President Johnson and his foreign policy team debate whether to withdraw from or escalate the war in Vietnam.
Gary Sinise Tribute to Frankenheimer
Frankenheimer passed away in 2002 after a stroke. Gary Sinise, who worked with him on three movies, wrote a tribute to Frankenheimer for Entertainment Weekly. Here is an excerpt of that tribute. “He was drawn to dramatic material and found a lot of drama in biographical subjects. His television movies in the ’90s were based on real events or real people, like…the biopic George Wallace,” which was the first of three projects I did with him. The television movies would bring him four Emmys for his direction.”
The movie industry expects people to introduce themselves, network or show their work.
“He had an enormous amount of energy, and at 72 was reemerging as one of the great filmmakers of all time, somebody whose work was as powerful later in his career as it was in the beginning,” praised Sinise.
Catch the movie on Amazon or Netflix.
Getting Noticed in Hollywood
Please consider how my friend networked with someone who can help his career. You are about to learn something about networking in the film business. My friend, Kevin, was inventive enough to network and pitch a local independent film, Ashes, to Kristi, who, in turn, would give it to her dad to view. Kevin was thinking on his feet and taking advantage of a business relationship he had formed while on a film set.
Some may think it was a bit of a bold move, and you would never approach a celebrity like that and be so forward. Why not? The worst that can happen is that the personality would say “no.” Or, you would get kicked off the set, but I doubt that would happen unless you were rude and obnoxious. People in the movie industry expect and accept others approaching them, networking, or showing their work.
The best thing that could happen is that Frankenheimer likes Kevin’s movie and helps him with its distribution, or finds an agent to help distribute the film. It’s not bad that he approached the daughter of a well-known director and producer.
However, nothing came of his contact with Kristi when he gave her a DVD of his movie.
Kevin made his move, and he felt good about his efforts. Later, when he pitches it to another distributor, he can mention that Frankenheimer’s daughter is interested in the movie. It’s called “name-dropping.” It also tells the distribution representative that Kevin hustles and works to get his film known to others in the industry.
Directed by Frankenheimer
“The movie Path to War was filmed at the California State Capitol on Monday. Long Day–7:30 AM until 11:45 PM! “It was an exciting day as I had the chance to work and speak with the director John Frankenheimer and his daughter, Kristi,” explains Kevin. “I was very impressed with Frankenheimer – he demands a lot from his crew, and he definitely doesn’t tolerate wasted time …but when you’re responsible for a 17 million dollar budget project, the pressure is certainly on you to get the job done.”
Frankenheimer stopped the filming long enough to personally thank all of the Sacramento cast and compliment them on their work, “which I found very refreshing, especially from someone of his stature,” adds Kevin.
Working with such a prestigious director was an honor. | Source
Follow up Contact Number
“I had the opportunity to speak with his daughter, Kristi, for a few minutes between set-ups, and Kristi accepted a copy of the local independent film Ashes that she promised to give to her father. She also provided me with the production office number in LA, so I could stay in touch and follow up on his impressions of the film.”
Another smart move by Kevin was to have a follow-up number for Kristi to use later after her dad viewed his movie.
Steven Spielberg and Michael Crichton made a great creative team. | Source
Friendship With Benefits
Steven Spielberg and Michael Crichton developed motion pictures and television programs, notably the Jurassic Park franchise and the long-running ER series. The two men, who were dear friends working together, are a fascinating story of success.
Dinosaurs from “Jurassic Park”
An acquaintance, a high school teacher, told me about a time he showed his students the movie Jurassic Park. At the end of the film, some of his students thought dinosaurs were still alive on our planet. Not that the students were stupid. The movie was realistic enough to make the dinosaurs appear real in their minds’ eyes.
The movie’s detailed and realistic images of various dinosaurs, along with its story, acting, and sound, created a realistic world based on Crichton’s bestselling novel.
The original movie focuses on a devastating effort to produce and clone dinosaurs for an innovative theme park.
The franchise began in 1990 when Spielberg grabbed the rights to the unpublished book. Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment purchased the rights to the novel.
After four sequels, the franchise flourished, with the first two based on Crichton’s books, and it spawned tons of video games, comic books, and theme parks.
The franchise resurrected Richard Attenborough’s career and bolstered the careers of Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, Lauren Dern, Chris Pratt, and Bryce Dallas Howard.
Jurassic Park’s motion picture franchise includes a water excursion at Universal Studios theme parks.
The franchise movies alone have grossed close to $ 5 billion worldwide.
Crichton and Spielberg Winning Team
The success of the Jurassic Park franchise indicates that Crichton and Spielberg made a winning team. They invested their good fortune in an American medical television series that proved just as fruitful as the dinosaur movies.
Under the umbrella of Amblin Television, Crichton and Spielberg’s team created the medical drama ER. The show lasted 15 years and won several prestigious awards, bringing together famed talents that I will mention later in the article.
If anything, ER is a lesson in producing an award-winning television show and practically keeping it on the air for years. I am sure students of film and television classrooms study this series in its entirety. They identify and highlight the factors that contributed to the show’s high ratings and large worldwide audience.
Endless drama in an Emergency Room kept viewers glued to the TV.
Emmy Award Winners
The show won multiple Emmy Awards, with 124 nominations and 22 wins, reflecting the caliber of work that stood behind and in front of the camera, launching the stellar careers of George Clooney, along with Anthony Edwards, Noah Wyle, Julianna Margulies, and Maria Bello.
“ER”
Although I never watched the series as a whole, but as clips from different shows, I tend to shy away from medical shows. ER taps into the intimate workings of an urban training hospital and the critical issues faced by the dedicated physicians and staff of its vigilant emergency room.
Every week, fans glued themselves to the television and watched quirky and unique medical professionals save lives in a place where nothing is taken for granted or guaranteed. The emergency room doors open, and another distraught person or persons gets placed in their hands, life or death, within an hour’s worth of television programming.
The series lasted as long as it did because of the talented writers, as evidenced by the final season, particularly in the show’s ending. The arc ties into the earlier seasons, including Noah Wyle’s professional choices and personal life.
Now, Wyle is starring in HBO’s Emmy-winning The Pitt, very similar to ER, but set over one day in an emergency room in Pittsburgh.
Curtain Call
The final season is a curtain call for all the show’s lead characters. They returned one way or another, including those who died on the show.
One point of view about the medical drama is the large cast of major actors who left due to injury, death, firing, or disappearance. Like most long-running shows, I understand that cast members go in hopes of bigger and better careers.
The final season includes movie stars Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance. The main arc centers on Catherine Banfield, the ER’s medical director, played by Basset, and her husband, Russell Banfield, played by Vance. Both are intense and effectively support their respective sides of the issue.
The series ends well, and that is what matters to the fans. The finale is rewarding to those who faithfully followed the multiple storylines.
George Clooney
I am sure you’ll appreciate watching the episodes, knowing that you can watch them again and again since you own the DVD. The cast changing through the years might throw you off, but it is graced with guest appearances from Clooney and other original cast members.
If you still need an emergency room fix on television, there are similar shows that follow ER’s formula, which validates the series even more, such as Grey’s Anatomy, a long-running show as well.
The history of James Bond movies is a fascinating topic for any conversation. This article reveals many amazing facts about James Bond, 007, for any fan of the genre.
“No Time to Die” is Daniel Craig’s fourth 007 movie.
When James Bond 25 premiered in theaters, the franchise set the record for the most movies ever produced by a single franchise.
James Bond Years
As we wait to discover who will star as James Bond in the next 007 movies, let’s look at some facts about James Bond.
With MGM’s permission, you will read, view photos, and watch video clips about the historical facts of the author, Ian Fleming, and the producers, directors, writers, and actors behind the creation of the ever-suave James Bond.
1. Longest-Produced Franchise
James Bond ranks among the most productive and longest-running franchises, with 24 films produced and the 25th, No Time to Die, set for release.
2. When Was Ian Fleming Born?
Ian Lancaster Fleming was born on May 28, 1908, and passed away on August 12, 1964. He left behind a genuine legacy of what it means to be a confident man—stylish, charming, suave, and debonair — as 007.
3. Fleming Worked in British Intelligence
Fleming’s life story is intriguing and full of flair, just like his fictional character. In 1942 in Jamaica, Fleming arrived to meet his American opposite from the Office of Naval Intelligence, where he stayed with fellow Eton College and childhood friend, Ivar Bryce.
Bryce’s second wife owned a house in Jamaica, and Fleming was impressed with the location. After visiting the island, Fleming assured Bryce that he would come back, construct a home, and live on the island when the war was over.
4. Fleming Designed and Built His Home in Jamaica
He returned to the island in 1946 and purchased an abandoned donkey racetrack overlooking the North Atlantic Ocean, near Ocho Rios and Oracabessa Bay.
He constructed his villa near the edge of a cliff with a view of his private beach. He named his villa “Goldeneye” and conceived and drew the plans himself, with the intent of being economical with space. He commented, “Who wants a big bedroom?” This economy of space encompassed his kitchen area, too.
He went without glass windows and favored the tropical breezes that drifted through the house. He designed conventional slatted louvers that folded back into the window frame’s border.
Author Ian Fleming on location in Jamaica with Sean Connery as James Bond while filming “Dr. No.”
5. How Did Fleming Come up with “Goldeneye”?
“Goldeneye” came from one of the campaigns Fleming worked on during World War II, and he, by coincidence, was reading Reflections in a Golden Eye by Carson McCullers. The first stages of Goldeneye, home in Jamaica, seemed barren and gloomy, but with lots of promise.
6. Playwright and Actor Noel Coward Was Goldeneye’s First Tenant
In 1948, playwright, director, and actor Noel Coward, Fleming’s friend, came to visit and subsequently became his first occupant at Goldeneye, paying a mere £50 a week.
7. Goldeneye Has a Private Beach
He positioned the main house near where he hiked down to the private beach to fish and swim. He hollowed out a large area at the top of the cliff, designed a sunken garden, and added a table and chairs under a sunshade. He finalized the beach area by building concrete and rock stairs to access the beach.
8. Violet Cummings Was His Housekeeper
Fleming hired Violet Cummings, who was a local from the north shore of Jamaica. She became his devoted housekeeper at Goldeneye for 17 years.
9. Fleming Married Lady Ann Rothermere
His wife, Lady Ann Rothermere, first visited Goldeneye in 1948. Fleming and Ann married about 18 miles from the villa in a small town called Port Maria in March 1952. Their only son, Caspar, arrived in London in August 1952, five months later.
10. “Casino Royale” Was the First James Bond Book
Fleming’s first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, was written at Goldeneye in 1952 and published in 1953. He penned every successive Bond book at Goldeneye.
In Jamaica, while filming of “Dr. No” in 1962, Sean Connery, Jacqueline, and Harry Saltzman, and Cubby and Dana Broccoli.
11. Origin of James Bond Name
Fleming chose the hero’s name from the author of his ‘Jamaican bible,’ A Field Guide to the Birds of the West Indies, by James Bond, an American ornithologist.
12. How Many Novels and Stories Fleming Write About James Bond, 007?
Fleming wrote 12 novels and two collections of short stories in Jamaica. All 14 stories were about James Bond.
13. Fleming Wrote on a Gold-Plated Typewriter
He rewarded himself for completing Casino Royale by purchasing a custom-made typewriter he had shipped from New York via the Royal Typewriter Company.
The typewriter was a distinctive gold-plated version of its Quiet de Luxe model, costing $174. Casino Royaleis by far his best James Bond book. If you plan to read a James Bond book, read Royale because Bond is vulnerable and genuinely falls in love.
14. Fleming’s Writing Routine Described in Playboy Magazine
His writing habits sounded manageable, as he described them in the 1964 Playboy article. His routine consisted of writing an average of 2000 words a day.
The majority of his writing occurred at 10 a.m. after he swam in the ocean, had breakfast, and had leisure time in the garden.
He wrote without stopping or looking over what he wrote. If he made a mistake, he would fix it when the book finished.
He spent the afternoon lounging with his wife, had a few drinks, took a nap, and ate dinner. When the sun went down, it was dark. He pounded out 500 more words, placing his seven pages neatly in a folder.
15. Second James Bond Novel Arrived in the Bookstores in 1954
Fleming’s second novel, Live and Let Die, arrived in bookstores on 5 April 1954. The story takes place in exotic locations in Jamaica, similar to the sixth novel he wrote and published in 1957, Dr. No.
16. Famous People Visited Goldeneye
Goldeneye honored famous visitors, including Noel Coward, Anthony Eden, Cecil Beaton, Truman Capote, Errol Flynn, Evelyn Waugh, and Lucian Freud.
17. Former Film Locations Manager owns Goldeneye
The villa changed ownership a couple of times and is currently owned and managed by Island Outpost, owned by Chris Blackwell, former movie locations manager and owner of Records.People come to Goldeneye for and vacation, promoted as a secluded location with ample privacy.
18. Who Produced the First James Bond Movie?
The first movie of the 007 films is Dr. No, produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R Broccoli, based on Fleming’s sixth novel, starring Sean Connery.
Strolling on the Jamaican beach, Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman are deep in conversation about producing.
19. Who Directed “Dr. No?”
Terence Young directed Dr. No and From Russia With Love, the first two James Bond movies. The last Bond movie he directed was Thunderball.
Terence Young positioned under the camera, directing Sean Connery, Kitzmiller, Ursula Andress on location in Jamaica.
20. Jamaica Movie Location
Because Fleming’s second two novels were set in Jamaica, when the movies went into production, they shot both at various locations there.
21. How Many Jamaicans Worked on “Dr. No?”
The first Bond movie hired roughly 500 local Jamaican actors and crew. The Jamaican government supported the production from beginning to end.
Marguerite LeWars plays the photographer and fails to catch Bond on film.
22. “Dr. No” Went into Production
Dr. No went into production, and filming began on the topic island under a $1 million production budget. Reggie Carter, one of Jamaica’s leading theatre actors, played the maleficent chauffeur, and Miss Jamaica 1961 Marguerite LeWars played the Freelance Photographer.
23. Blackwell Represented Bob Marley
Fleming’s neighbor and friend, Chris Blackwell, became the location manager for all the Jamaican locations filmed for the movie. From his earnings, Blackwell founded Island Records. The record label that released reggae artists, including Bob Marley.
Chris Blackwell, as the location manager for “Dr. No,” listens to Terence Young.
24. Noel Coward Offered the Role of Dr. No
Producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman wanted Noel Coward to play Dr. No, but when Fleming cabled his Jamaican neighbor with the offer, Coward responded, “…No…No…No! Thank you. Love, Noel.”
25. Ursula Andress White Bikini Scene
The costume designer for Dr. No was Tessa Prendergast, a Jamaican actress; Tessa Welborn was the fashion designer. She oversaw the costume designs for Dr. No. She assisted in creating the famous white bikini worn by Ursula Andress when she surfaced from the ocean. She won a Golden Globe for her role.
Ursula Andress is the most famous Bond girl in her white bikini for “Dr. No.”
26. Sean Connery Resided at Courleigh Manor Hotel
Sean Connery, stunt coordinator Bob Simmons, and Terence Young arrived on the island a week before the first day of filming. They booked rooms at the Courtleigh Manor Hotel. The remainder of the cast and crew arrived on 14 January.
27. Monty Norman Used Local Bands as Part of the Movie’s Music
The movie’s composer, Monty Norman, blended the Jamaican vibe into the score by working with Chris Blackwell, the location manager. He presented Norman with some local flavor, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. The band appears in Pussfella’s bar scene. They play “Jump Up” to a bar full of island extras as Connery, who plays Bond, John Kitzmiller, who plays Quarrel, and Jack Lord, who plays Leiter, meet to discuss the disappearance of Strangways.
28. Norman’s Wife Sings “Under the Mango Tree”
The band included Jamaican jazz guitarist Ernest Ranglin, who backed Norman’s wife, Diana Coupland, singing ‘Under the Mango Tree’ in Dr. No.
29. Bunny Yeager Photographed Andress
Bunny Yeager, a former pin-up model and American glamour photographer, came on location to shoot promotional photos of Ursula Andress. In 1966, Yeager published Camera in Jamaica, which includes several photos taken on-site during the filming of Dr. No.
Honey Ryder and 007 are looking down at the beach in Jamaica.
30. The First Time Ian Fleming Came on a Bond Set
During the shooting of the famous Andress, as Honey Ryder walks out of the ocean in a white bikini on the island, director Terence Young recalled working on the scene. He saw some folks walking down the beach, ruining the shot. He screamed, “Lie down!” They lay down, and the film crew shot the iconic scene. It turned out to be Ian Fleming with his friends, Stephen Spender, Noel Coward, and Peter Cornell. It went down as the first time Fleming came on a Bond set.
31. “Dr. No” Final Location Shot in Jamaica
February 21, 1962, the final day of filming on location in Jamaica, was on the property of the Sans Souci Hotel, where the exterior shots of Miss Taro’s house were filmed.
Quarrel, Bond, and Honey are getting away from Dr. No’s guards.
32. Who directed “Live and Let Die?”
Live and Let Die was Guy Hamilton’s third Bond movie. He directed Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever before he took on Live and Let Die. His final Bond movie was The Man with the Golden Gun.
33. Did Sean Connery Star in “Live and Let Die”
Roger Moore played James Bond in Live and Let Die. It was his first Bond movie.
34. San Monique Became the Fictional Name of the Island of Jamaica
On November 14, 1972, the first day of filming on Live and Let Die was registered on location in Jamaica. The filming took place on the coast, a short distance past Reynolds Aluminium, on the road to Ocho Rios towards St. Anne’s Bay. The following locations for that day were the interior and exterior shots of the Hotel Reception and the Tarot Card Shop, using the Sans Souci Hotel in Ocho Rios.
On a crocodile farm, Bond, now played by Roger Moore, discovers that signs sometimes express what they say!
35. “Trespassers Will Be Eaten”
Syd Cain scouted locations on the island and came across “Trespassers Will Be Eaten.” His interest aroused, he took a tour of Kananga’s Swamp Safari with its owner. The location became part of the movie, with scenes added to the script, and the name was changed to “Jakata.”
36. Stunt Double in Crocodile Scene
The owner of the swamp, Ross Kananga, joined the movie crew as Bond’s body double for the crocodile stepping stone scene. He had to run over the backs of real crocodiles lined up for the shot.
On the third try, a crocodile whipped around and bit off the heel of his shoe. Ross concluded, “They’re expecting me.”
Guy Hamilton told Ross it was too dangerous to continue, but Ross wanted to get the shot. They tried again and got it.
“Live and Let Die” on the film set, Roger Moore seated on the top deck, on Sunday, December 10, 1972.
37. The Double-Decker Bus Chase Scene
The double-decker bus chase scene required a bus to be converted so the stunt could proceed without difficulty. The production built the bus in London and shipped it to a location in Johnson Town, Lucea, on the island.
Bond drove the bus beneath a low-lying bridge, using a sliding mechanism to enable the top deck to get a clean slice off when the bus hits the bridge.
Not only was the bus customized, but the bridge was as well. Syd Cain devised it, and Leon Davis oversaw the installation of the complete steel framework. All went well in the first take, and the effects looked both humorous and magnificent.
38. The Bus Driver Rehearsed for Six Weeks
Maurice Patchett, a bus instructor, drove the double-decker bus in the chase sequence practiced in Jamaica for six weeks before shooting the stunt.
39. “Live and Let Die” Last Day in Jamaica
The last day of filming in Jamaica was December 27, 1972, at the Jamaica Swamp Safari, Falmouth, with Ross Kananga.
40. Which Studio Produced the James Bond Movies?
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or United Artists, its forerunner, produced all of the James Bond films in collaboration.
43. San Monique in “Live and Let Die” is Fictional
Jamaica as Live and Let Die filming location for the fictional San Monique island was not a shoo-in. Director Hamilton, Art Director Syd Cain, and Production Manager Claude Hudson spent three weeks scouting locations across the Caribbean before settling on Fleming’s homestead island.
44. Bond’s First Interacial Romance
On November 15, 1972, Roger Moore and Rosie Carver, as Gloria Hendry, perform their first romantic kiss at the picnic scene in a clearing located at Ruins, Ocho Rios. The scene marks the first interracial affair in a Bond movie.
45. Dereking Meddings Created Scarecrow Mannequins
Derek Meddings was recognized for his miniature work on Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds, and Stingray. Live And Let Die was his first attempt at a Bond movie. Meddings and Peter Briggs designed the scarecrow mannequins that frighten Rosie in the romantic scene with Bond.
46. Jaws
Richard Kiel played Jaws and wore his metal teeth for only 30 seconds per scene. The pyramid scene in The Spy Who Loved Me, where he bites through the chain, was designed out of licorice.
47. How Many Actors Have Played James Bond?
Which 007 is your favorite? Seven handsome actors played James Bond, including David Niven, Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Dalton, and Daniel Craig.
48. How Tall is James Bond?
Daniel Craig is the shortest James Bond to date, standing at 5’10”. The other Bonds reached 6’1″ to 6’2″.
49. James Bond Women
Bond has been intimate with over four dozen women on screen, with over 75 Bond Girls, and two-thirds of those lovers attempted to kill him. Ursula Andress was the first Bond Girl, creating a high standard for her successors.
50. James Bond is Scottish
When James Bond was 11 years old, his parents were killed in a mountain climbing accident. His father was Scottish, and his mother was Swiss.
51. How Many Times Has 007 Been Shot At?
After being shot at roughly 5,000 times as an agent for His Majesty’s Secret Service, Bond keeps saving the world.
52. Moore Needed Running Double
Roger Moore required a body double for all his movies because production was unsure of his awkward gait.
53. James Bond Vodka
James Bond’s drink of choice is a martini, shaken, not stirred. The favorite drink contains 130 calories, just enough to burn during a romantic tumble.
54. Weapons Training
During Skyfall filming, the cast and crew purchased 200,000 rounds of ammunition solely for weapons training.
55. Smoking in the Movies
James Bond smokes a cigarette in almost every scene, recorded to have smoked 70 cigarettes a day, painfully 3.5 packs a day. Bond stopped smoking in front of the camera after Die Another Day, though he smoked a cigar. Daniel Craig hasn’t lit up on camera yet.
56. James Bond MI16
The actuality of MI6, the agency 007 works for in the movies, was formally recognized by the British government in 1994.
The first James Bond car, the Sunbeam Alpine, is driven by Connery while being chased by The Three Blind Mice.
57. James Bond Car
Pierce Brosnan starred as 007 in Tomorrow Never Dies, where he destroyed more than 15 BMWs.
58. James Bond Card Game
Ian Fleming wrote in his books that James Bond enjoys playing baccarat. We see him playing the game in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Dr. No, Thunderball, Goldeneye, and Never Say Never Again.
59. How Many Books Mention 007?
007 appeared in 25 additional authorized books, bringing the total to 39 books if you include Ian Fleming’s 14 novels.
60. What Type of Gun Did Bond Use?
In the first five books, Bond used a Beretta 418: the sixth book, Nr. No, Fleming changed his gun to a Walther PPK. The shift occurred after Fleming corresponded with a veteran and gun collector. He advised Fleming to have Bond use the latter gun for speed and accuracy.
“No Time to Die” is the 25th 007 movie starring Daniel Craig and Léa Seydoux as the Bond Girl. They arrive in Matera, Italy, filming on location with director Cary Joji Fukunaga.Source: Franco Origlia
61. James Bond Villains
The villains in Fleming’s books make the stories so much fun to read and see on the big screen. Each villain is over-the-top entertainment and uniquely wicked, including Le Chiffre, Mr. Big, Sir Hugo Drax, Dr. Julius No, Auric Goldfinger, and Herr von Hammerstein.
62. Die Another Day
Starting with the first movie, Dr. No, to Quantum of Solace, 007 killed 352 people in the films.
63. Discovery of Sean Connery
Producer Cubby Broccoli saw Sean Connery in Darby O’Gill and the Little People and wanted to test his appeal to women. and took his wife to the movie, and she became impressed.
64. Aston-Martin and Gadgets
The first Bond film to feature gadgets and have him drive an Aston-Martin was Goldfinger. The movie was the first film ever to use a laser beam.
65. James Bond Opening Credits Figure
The figure in the opening credits, where the gun barrel opens, is Stuntman Bob Simmons. He played the iconic part in the first three movies.
Kino Classics released some extraordinary German classic films from the silent era during the 1920s. Each one is available on Blu-ray or DVD. Presented in restorations by F. W. Murnau-Stiftung, I found each movie stunning and mesmerizing.
The films restored are The Great Leap (1927), directed by Arnold Fanck and starring Leni Riefenstahl, Paul Wegener’s The Golem (1920), G. W. Pabst’s The Love of Jeanne Ney (1927), and F. W. Murnau’s Tartuffe (1925), starring Emil Jannings.
The Great Leap (1927)
I first watchedThe Great Leap, which features an audio commentary by film historian Samm Deighan. The movie stars Leni Riefenstahl, who is infamous as the great documentarian of Hitler. Before all that, she was foremost an actress, and she is good in this movie. It’s super funny. Apparently, Riefenstahl was a popular actress who starred in several mountain movies directed by Arnold Fanck. They included The Holy Mountain (Der heilige Berg, 1926) and The White Hell of Pitz Palu (Die weisse Hölle vom Piz Palü, 1929) as dramas of romance and survival.
The Great Leap suggests was something different as a playful romantic comedy set high atop the Dolomites. Riefenstahl plays an Italian peasant whose simple life is upended when a series of urbanites invade the slopes for a ski vacation. This bubbly comedy (featuring Riefenstahl’s usual on-screen love interest, Luis Trenker) combines slapstick laughs with stunning footage of acrobatic skiing and rock climbing, making it perhaps the most entertaining but unique movie out of all the German mountain films.
The Golem (1920)
Then I watched The Golem that contains both a 4K restoration of the German release version with three musical scores by Stephen Horne, Admir Shkurtaj, and Lukasz “Wudec” Poleszak, including U.S. release version with music by Cordula Heth. A feature comes with a comparison between the German and U.S. versions, and audio commentary by film historian Tim Lucas.
Hypothetically acknowledged as the source of the Frankenstein myth, the ancient Hebrew legend of the Golem provided actor and director Paul Wegener with the substance for an intriguing and adventure movie. Suffering under the tyrannical rule of Rudolf II in 16th-century Prague, a Talmudic rabbi, played by Albert Steinruck, creates a giant warrior, played by Wegener to protect the safety of his people. When the rabbi’s assistant, played by Ernst Deutsch, takes control of the Golem and attempts to use him for selfish gain, the lumbering monster runs rampant, abducting the rabbi’s daughter, played by Lyda Salmonova, and setting fire to the ghetto. The special effects for this time are impressive, creating the creation sequence with a dazzling blend of religion, sorcery, and the grand-scale destruction toward the end of the movie. The Golem was apparently an outstanding achievement from the legendary UFA Studios and remains an undeniable landmark in the horror’s evolution film.
The Love of Jeanne Ney came next and presents both the restored German release version with music arranged and orchestrated by Bernd Thewes, and the U.S. release version with music by Andrew Earle Simpson. It includes audio commentary by film historian Eddy Von Mueller.
The Love of Jeanne Ney (1927)
An epic of the Weimar cinema (Cinema of Germany), The Love of Jeanne Ney follows a young French woman’s struggle for happiness amid the political turbulence and corruption of post-World War I Europe. Directed by G. W. Pabst, who also directed Diary of a Lost Girl, Pandora’s Box, the film blends a variety of cinematic approaches as it weaves its complex narrative of moral chaos and political upheaval. Consider the use of the “American Style,” evocative of the Hollywood studio blockbuster; the avant-garde techniques of Soviet montage; and the eerie moving camerawork and shadowy perspectives are typical of German Expressionism. The result is a stunning cinematic experiment that never failed to surprise me with fast sequences that end with an exhilarating conclusion.
Tartuffe (1925)
Tartuffe includes both the German release version with a new score by Robert Israel and the U.S. release version with music by Giuseppe Becce, adapted by Javier Perez de Azpeita.
Tartuffe (1925)
Considered one of the most gifted visual storytellers during the German silent era, F. W. Murnau crafted works of great subtlety and emotional complexity through his absolute command of the cinematic medium. Known for such dazzling films as Nosferatu (1922), The Last Laugh (1924), Faust (1926), and Sunrise (1927), Murnau draws toward more intimate dramas exploring the dark corners of the human mind.
I had a prime interest in seeing Tartuffe, where Murnau Moliére’s fable of religious hypocrisy to the screen. The story follows a faithful wife, played by Lil Dagover. She tries to convince her husband, played by Werner Krauss, that their morally superior guest, Tartuffe, played by Emil Jannings, is in fact a lecherous hypocrite with a taste for the grape. Twisting the story to heighten the contemporary relevance, Murnau frames Moliére’s tale with a modern-day plot concerning a housekeeper’s stealthy efforts to poison her elderly master and take control of his estate.
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Bandseems likeis an open heart confession that’s admonishing, and sometimes humorous story of Robertson’s young life and the making of one of the most enduring groups in the history of popular music—The Band.
The film is a poignant story of Robertson’s journey, overcoming adversity and finding friendship alongside the four other men who would become his brothers in music, together making their mark on music history.
One of the bright spots in the movie is the blends of rare archival footage, photography, iconic songs, and interviews with Robertson’s friends and collaborators, including Martin Scorsese, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, and others.
The storytelling began in 2011 when the legendary guitarist, songwriter, composer, and producer Robbie Robertson pulled up his bootstraps with a put pen to paper began telling his story. The story about his life written over five years.
His 2016 memoir and New York Times bestseller Testimony chronicle the period from his upbringing on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario to his wild years touring with music giants Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan to his role in the formation of one of the most revered and influential groups of the 20th century—The Band.
Robbie Robertson
“A lot of stories had mounted up over the years, and it reached a point where they were too heavy for me to carry around,” Robertson says. “The only way I could get some relief was to set some of them free. Several authors had contacted me about writing my story over the years, but each time we’d hit a certain point where things just didn’t ring true to me. It sounded like somebody else was trying to impersonate my voice, so I ended up writing every word of it myself.”
The memoir captured the attention of filmmakers. “After it was published, a couple of people approached me and said they were interested in making a documentary based on the book, but I wanted to wait until I found someone who just sounded real to me,” Robertson explains.
After careful consideration, Robertson chose to option film rights to his book to the experienced Toronto-based film and television production company White Pine Pictures. “We were honored that Robbie put his trust in us,” says Raymont. It was the beginning of a wonderful adventure.”
Daniel Roher came on board as the director with three short documentaries under his belt. “We were impressed with Daniel’s passion, determination and extraordinary chutzpah” says Raymont, “Nothing was going to stop him.”
“Daniel had already made several documentaries that people felt were really good,” says Robertson, “and when they asked him what he wanted to do next, he said he wanted to make a documentary from my book.”
Roher grew up loving their music. “The first time I heard them was through my parents, and I was instantly hooked,” he says. “Their incredible musicianship grabbed me, and they just seemed like the coolest guys in any room they set foot in. So, when Robbie’s book was published, I immediately knew it would make a phenomenal documentary.”
By his admission, Roher’s interest in developing the material became an obsession as time went on. “I told anyone who would listen that this was my dream project,” he says. “The truth is, I would’ve begged, cried, or stolen to direct this movie.”
Robertson says he saw something of himself in Roher. “When I first started playing music I went against all the odds and broke down walls to make it work. I got that same feeling from Daniel. He knew he had to make this work.”
Roher recalls, “At one point Robbie said, ‘You know, kid, one of my closest friends is Martin Scorsese, so why should you be the one to make this movie?’ And I just laid it all out for him,” Roher recalls. “I told him about my deep appreciation of where he came from, and I explained that I’ve spent time in indigenous communities across Ontario, and know what it’s like when the instruments come out after a long day of work and the music starts playing.”
Above all else, Roher reminded Robertson that his book’s story was about a highly ambitious young man who bucks the odds to make his mark on the world. “Thankfully, my pitch resonated with him, because he said, ‘Okay, kid, let’s make trouble together.’ That’s when my life changed.”
Written and directed by Aleksey Kozlov, Battle of Leningrad involves World War II’s Siege of Leningrad – in which Nazi Germany blockaded the major Soviet city for 28 months. The situation ranks as perhaps the single most brutal and devastating military campaign in modern history.
Now, the story of horrifying siege told through the lives of people caught in the middle of it in Battle of Leningrad. Produced in Russia, the story began in September 1941. On the Eastern Front of World War II, Kostya, played by Andrey Mironov-Udalov and his fellow Russian cadets tasked with evacuating thousands of civilians out of war-torn Leningrad. The purpose is safety aboard Barge 752.
While Kostya’s commander initially worries that the barge may be too outdated to sail across Lake Ladoga safely, the evacuation completed. Even Kostya finds time to smuggle his fiancé, Nastya, played by Maria Melnikova, aboard the bare to join him on the journey. But tragedy quickly finds them, and the story is about survival.
An unrelenting storm strikes that evening, and Barge 752 begins to break down and leak, threatening to sink. Kostya, Nastya, and the rest of the ship’s occupants are hopeful for rescue the next morning. They find themselves in even greater danger when the first responders are not what they hope them to be — planes to rescue them, but enemy aircraft, geared up for attack.
The film is epic on a grand scale while allowing enough focus intimately on the unique individuals caught up in an enormous tragedy. Kozlov’s movie is similar to Dunkirk, Saving Private Ryan, Stalingrad, and Titanic.
The movie is full of rage with intense circumstances on board the barge with the impending attack plays with remarkable clarity.
The battle scenes are energetic and penetrating along with a dramatic storyline about a time in history that continues to interest storytellers like Kozlov.
Mironov-Udalov and Melnikova bring honesty to their relationship and circumstances. It is through their eyes we experience the horrors of WW II in Russia.
Co-written and directed by David Mackenzie, Outlaw King follows Robert the Bruce, played by Chris Pine. His life is transformed from defeated noble to a king to an outlaw as he struggles to reclaim medieval Scotland from occupation. Ambushed and reduced to a handful of supporters, Robert resolves himself to strike back against King Edward of England’s mighty army.
Robert is among the Scottish nobles who submitted to the occupying English King, Edward, played by Stephen Dillane. A marriage is arranged between Robert and Elizabeth de Burgh, played by Florence Pugh, a daughter of Edward’s ally.
An unnerving peace seems the only way forward which Robert and his family reluctantly accept. His relationship with his wife is feisty as they get to know each other. But crippling taxes, relentless force, men and boys being coerced under obligations of the feudal system to fight for King Edward only strengthen the rising rebellious emotions amongst the Scots.
Major events trigger a change in the overall climate of Scotland. The death of the family patriarch Bruce Senior, played by James Cosmo, news of the brutal demise of former rebel leader William Wallace, and finally the murder of Robert’s rival John Comyn, played by Callan Mulvey.
With the help of the Scottish Church – including Bishop Lamberton, played by Paul Blair, Robert resolves to become king and try to unify a divided country – many of whom do not want more war and are opposed to him because of their own blood ties.
If you know your Scottish history, you know the outcome of the story. I can give you a hint, though, it is one of the greatest comeback stories in history. “…I couldn’t shake the feeling that the period between 1304 and 1307 was where the most extreme things were happening – and this is what we have focused on. We conflated some characters and events in the interests of drama and time, but we have broadly been very faithful to the recorded history or this timeframe,” explained Mackenzie.
The Netflix produced movie will hopefully turn out to be a movie worth watching. So much of Scotland’s yesteryear events are page turners in historical books.
Scottish director Mackenzie whose body of work includes Hell or High Water and Young Adam is an excellent choice for this epic movie. Here are a couple of clips from Outlaw King. Nothing like the trailer but poignant in terms of key points in the movie’s storyline.
